The Last Name Banks

by Lacy Camey

  I heard a door open as Vinny walked in the room, steps loud. I hoped my trauma wasn’t hindering Logan’s recovery.

  “Her parents can’t see her like this. We are in charge of her welfare. Administer a valium or do something to induce sleep.”

  “But I—”

  “Just do it.”

  Norah and Maycee look horrified and the last thing I saw was the ceiling, noticing it needed to be repainted.

  I drifted off to the heaviest sweet sleep and when I awoke, I was wearing the silkiest satin gold dress and there was wind that blew my hair out of a side braid. I stood on a field in the meadow and saw distant snow capped mountains. I looked down at my barefoot feet and saw the most daises I’d ever seen in my life.

  I heard birds chirping overhead, and the smell of crisp mountain air revived my spirit. I looked around and up at the clear blue sky and suddenly felt tired. As I laid myself down, a bed of satin appeared among the daises and I fell asleep.

  Suddenly, I viewed myself sleeping in the field as if I were floating and I saw Logan appear, riding a white horse. He was as handsome as I’d ever seen him. Wearing a crisp white polo shirt, jeans, and he was barefoot himself. I tried to speak to him but I couldn’t.

  He approached me with a flower in his hand, the same flower he’d given me in the jungle. He placed the flower by my face and bent down and gave me the most gentle kiss. As I watched him kiss me, I saw my green eyes open and a smile appear on my face. Suddenly, I was back in my body and was inches away from his face. Tears, happy tears, appeared on my face.

  “I’m so happy it’s you.”

  “Must be true love,” he said. “A kiss from only the right one would break the spell,” he said and kissed me on the cheek.

  I felt intense happiness. The happiest I’d ever been in my life. He lifted me in his arms and walked back to the horse.

  “Where will we go?” I asked.

  “Anywhere. We’re free to roam in God’s country.” He spun me around. “Everything you see is ours to explore.” He placed me lady-style on the horse.

  “But there’s just one more thing that needs to happen before this closes the storybook.”

  “What?”

  He slipped the prettiest diamond band on my left ring finger. “Be my queen.”

  As the ring was slipped on, it sparkled like it had special powers and the entire area where we stood illuminated with light. I laughed at the incredible beauty of the moment.

  He mounted the horse and told me to hold on to his waist. And we rode off toward the snowcapped mountains. Never had I ever felt so much bliss.

  “Chloe! Chloe! Oh, come on, sweetie, wake up. Right now!” I felt a light tap on my cheeks and I opened my eyes to the same ceiling that needed repainting, to Norah’s kind but worried hazel eyes.

  “I’m so sorry, I don’t mean to alarm you, but you’ve been out for hours.”

  I felt my face tighten and I quickly looked over to where Logan was lying. I sat up in concern. “Is he okay? Has he woke up yet?” I turned to face him and was just about to get out of bed when I heard the familiar voice of my mother.

  “Chloe Banks!”

  I froze. I could smell her flood of perfume, Chanel number five, her signature scent. She never left her bedroom without the perfume’s accompaniment. My nose scrunched. My eyes crept to their corner and the pleasant dream I had awoken from, that bliss feeling, completely deflated.

  “Oh, for Pete’s sake. Look at this atrocity! My daughter, in such conditions.”

  She clanked loudly in her heels and stood right in front of me, doing a once over.

  “Pumas? Ribbed tank? An awful head wrap?” she said in utter disgust. “I raised you better than to dress like this.”

  I couldn’t believe my mother. Norah slowly stepped back, looking down at her feet as she wiped a few tears of her own.

  “Oh, and I’m fine,” I said coldly. “Don’t worry about my concussion, or being lost, just worry about how I look.”

  “Of course I’m going to worry about your appearance. There are news reporters scouring the place.”

  What?

  “The story is that you were held hostage.”

  “What? But what about Lo—Logan?”

  She didn’t even turn around to look at him.

  “Logan?” she said the name in utter disgust.

  “Yes, Mother. Logan. The kind man who runs the orphanage.”

  She studied my eyes.

  “Oh, that’s just great. Fabulous.”

  “What?”

  “I can see it in your eyes. You’ve gone and fallen for him. Well, you must get yourself up. Prince Joniniah is waiting to meet you. There’s a gift from him on the plane. In fact, he feels so badly about what has happened to you he’s planned a special trip just for you on his island.”

  “Prince Joniniah? I’m not going, Mother.” I set my face, determined. “You are being unbelievable. I’m not leaving Logan. I want to see my father, now.”

  “Impossible darling. You’ll see him on the copter. The press is out.”

  “I am not going out there and lying to the entire world about what happened.”

  “Oh, but you have no other choice. Who will everyone believe? A young adult who acts like a child who is always in the press, or why, me?”

  I shook my head as tears filled my eyes. I never acted like a child, it was she that did.

  “Oh, save it for therapy,” she said coldly.

  “You are the cruelest mother created. Surely I’m not your daughter.”

  I saw something change on her face.

  “Most mothers run to their daughter, embrace them in their arms, tell them they were worried, but not you.” I wobbled to my feet. “Not you.” I quickly turned from her.

  I walked over to Logan and placed my hand gently on his forehead.

  “Chloe Banks, I am ordering you. We have to leave now.”

  “I am not a child who has to be told what to do. I am a grown woman. I’m staying here.”

  The door burst open with a few men in black suits with secret wires in their ears appearing.

  “What are they doing here?”

  “Darling, they are here to ensure your safety from the man who held you hostage. He could still be roaming the premises. The entire place is on lock down.”

  “What? That is atrocious! It’s a complete lie! The poor children! Where’s Daddy?” I said with more tears pouring down my face.

  “Not a safe environment for him, Miss Banks. You’ll see him on the copter,” one of the men in black suits said.

  “I’m not leaving! This is ridiculous! I wasn’t held hostage and you all know this!”

  “Trauma,” my mother said, as shook her head and tisked her tongue. “They told her to say that,” she continued.

  Before I knew it, the men were on both sides of me taking me by the arms, leading me out of the room. I slid my feet into the floor, refusing to leave.

  “This is crazy! You can’t do this! This is all a lie! The truth is Logan needs our assistance! He needs our help. I wasn’t held hostage!” A hand roughly covered my mouth.

  “Norah!” I tried to scream through the hand. Suddenly, the door flew open and I saw a few members of the press for a brief second. I was lifted by one of the security men and a black blanket was thrown over me, shielding me from any pictures or camera time from the press.

  I heard eager news anchors talking to mother, asking her questions.

  “Governor Banks and I are elated, thankful to God our precious daughter’s life was spared. A true humanitarian she is. We are bringing her back home safely. Thank you,” my mother stated.

  “Mrs. Banks! Mrs. Banks! Where is the governor?” one woman shouted.

  “Is it true the bail was fifty million dollars ensuring your daughter’s safety?” a man asked.

  “Did you know today your husband is leading the polls?” another questioned.

  “Mrs. Banks, are you aware of the stories circulating that Governo
r Banks flew to Tahiti last spring with his personal trainer supposedly using tax payer’s money?” another question.

  Moments later, the blanket was finally off of me and I saw my father sitting in front of me in the helicopter.

  “Dad!” I cried, and went into his arms. “Please. Look at me! You know me. You know I wouldn’t lie to you. This is all a circus. I wasn’t held hostage! You know this. I tried to tell you on the phone. Please let me stay. I need to stay. Logan needs my help.”

  But even as I finished speaking the helicopter lifted and I looked below and saw Norah and Maycee’s concerned faces and the shaking of their heads.

  “This isn’t fair!”

  “Steve said he was held gunpoint and knocked out.”

  Of course Steve said that.

  “It’s simply not true!” I shook my head. “Logan was bit by a spider! A poisonous one and he could have died if he wasn’t given the proper medical attention.”

  “Oh, for Heaven’s sake quit talking about the pauper,” Mother said.

  “This is unbelievable,” I crossed my arms.

  “When I get back to Texas, there is nothing you can do about it, but I’m legally changing my name. I will move. And you won’t have any say over what I do anymore.”

  My dad’s eyes went wide.

  “Yes, Daddy. That’s right. I refuse to live in this circus anymore. This isn’t who I am.”

  He gently placed his hand over mine.

  “We’ll get this all straightened out, sweetheart. Leave everything to me. Let’s just get you home.”

  But I don’t want to go home.

  Chapter Fourteen

  I couldn’t bear to think about the coming days and the media circus. I knew what it would mean when the truth came out- Steve would lose his job for lying. But why did he lie? I didn’t want him to lose his job, but my hands were tied.

  As I pondered further about everything, I realized I had never seen my mother act so, well, not just unlike my mother, but a mother. It really bothered me. I didn’t understand why she lacked a single ounce of maternal care.

  “Oh, why won’t my phone work? I have to get touch with Vivian right away. I will be late to the benefit tonight and I’ve changed my mind about what dress I want to wear. In light of the situation and present circumstance, red is too loud and paints the imagery of blood. My daughter is home. I shall wear the black dress from—”

  “Black? Because you’re mourning my arrival? Because you have a daughter again?” I said, shocking myself. I had never uttered such words to her in my life.

  “What on earth, Chloe? That’s the silliest thing I’ve heard.”

  “Then why are you wearing black?”

  “Because we are in a very conservative time with the situation.”

  I knew it wasn’t my imagination, but I saw the tiniest of smirks appear on my father’s face as he looked through files of documents and jotted notes.

  Moments later, we landed at airport and had to board our private plane. As we made our way off the copter, my mother finally got through to Vivian.

  “Vivian. Yes, there has been a slight change in my dress I’d like to—wait, what? No. You’re kidding. She said what? What? Call you back.”

  In the middle of her conversation, my father’s cell had rung simultaneously. He merely nodded and said, “Understood. Okay. Thanks.”

  What was going on? What was just said?

  They both looked at me in complete silence.

  What?

  “Let’s board the plane now, Richard, and pull it up.”

  “Pull what up?”

  “Oh, your friends think they are just so clever. Do they have any idea what they’ve done to your father’s campaign?”

  “Now Claire, it will be fine. You know as well as I do this doesn’t affect my campaign.”

  “Yes, it does, Richard!” she barked.

  Why did he put up with her? I wondered to myself.

  We boarded the jet and a few of my father’s advisors already sat viewing a video. I heard Maycee’s familiar voice. They stopped it, refreshed the video and turned it to face us. We had only been in the air for twenty-five minutes. What on earth? The video had been viewed over 200 times already.

  He pushed play and there was Maycee’s face.

  “This is Maycee Johnson. Due to unfortunate fabrications in the press, I’m left with no other choice but to alert my family and ease their worries. It has been said that Chloe Banks was just released from being held hostage here in Venezuela near the orphanage where we are all assisting for a humanitarian cause. It’s not true. She was not held hostage. Mom, Dad . . . Norah and I are completely safe. I’m sorry, Chloe. I know you’ll see this video but the truth had to be let out. Everyone is fine. Everyone is fine except Logan, the orphanage’s facilitator. Please keep him in your prayers and thoughts as he still sleeps in a poisonous spider bite induced coma. We need your prayers right now. We need the truth to find our parents as I’m sure the false news has them worried sick. It wasn’t right the way Chloe was torn away from the orphanage. Please stand by my side and support Chloe Banks. She’s an adult. She deserves to make her own decisions.”

  “Oh dear . . . . ” I sighed. Leave it to Maycee.

  But I understood. Her family needed to know. Logan’s family needed to know. They needed to be with their son. And then I remembered the promise I made Logan. I would contact his family.

  “Dad, I’m sorry for all of this. I need to call Logan’s family and make sure they know.”

  His lips separated slightly. He reached for his phone out of his pocket, but one of his advisors handed me their phone.

  “No calls, Governor. Use my phone.”

  “Thank you. I don’t even know his last name,” I said.

  “We’ll find it.”

  “I can’t believe what’s happening! I need a glass of bubbly. You’re telling me you’re going to believe her over a man who has worked in this industry and knows what he is talking about.”

  “Another interview has aired with Norah.” His advisor turned the laptop around and typed a few words before turning it back to us.

  “Is it true that this story is completely false and there was no hostage scare?” a news anchor asked Norah.

  She looked hesitant.

  “Yes, it’s true. She was lost. Logan was bit by a poisonous spider and is in a coma from an allergic reaction. He needs all the prayers he can get right now.”

  She walked away.

  “Norah, wait!”

  And the interview ended.

  I couldn’t believe my eyes. Looked like I wasn’t alone in figuring out how to reveal the truth. It wouldn’t be needed. I was so thankful. I found my way to a leather chair and sat down, feeling woozy. I still felt funny from whatever drug was administered to me to help me sleep.

  My dad sat down and began looking through more files. My mother stood, looking like she was about to come undone from her ever-tight woven seam of uptightness.

  “Unbelievable! The whole world is going to take their word?”

  “What is the big deal with the truth?” my dad said.

  “Why, it paints her in a ridiculous light. Just what were they doing in the jungle alone anyway?”

  “I was helping him draw water for the children.”

  The way she sighed you would have thought I just revealed the worst thing in the world to her—like I robbed the gold from Federal Reserve or something. Not that there was any money in there to begin with.

  Dad merely shook his head and went back to discussing poll numbers with his advisors.

  “No doubt there will be press conferences with this,” one of them said.

  “Well, let them roll. Now, let’s talk about Virginia.” He stopped for a moment and turned to look at me. I sat in a daze.

  “Chloe, I am so happy you are safe. And regardless of what anyone says, I’m proud of you and proud you are my daughter. There’s nothing you could ever do that would make me feel otherwise.” He g
lanced at my mother and pulled out bifocals, placing them on the edge of his nose to look over notes and briefing with his advisors.

  Those were much needed words to my ears. I had my father’s support and that was all that was needed.

  “What? Richard you are ridiculous. I know what you are doing. What game you are playing. You want her to think—” She turned around abruptly and stomped to the back of the plane where no doubt she would drink a whole bottle of champagne by herself.